The year 2010 could hardly have started any better for Audi “factory” driver Tom Kristensen: The Dane was voted “Sportsman of the Decade” as many as two times in his native Denmark. The TV channel “TV2” as well as the major daily newspaper “Berlingske Tidende” awarded the prestigious title to the record Le Mans winner.

“I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and helped me receive these two awards,” said the Audi driver. “Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of being so successful some day. But back then I had the great fortune of joining Audi. It’s a big privilege to have been a member of one of the world’s best race teams for as much as a decade now.”

The eight-time Le Mans winner clearly prevailed against such popular athletes as tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki, bicycle racer Michael Rasmussen and U.S. football star Morten Andersen in the votings.

Tom Kristensen was also recently recognized by the British racing magazine “Autosport,” which voted the Dane “Sports Car Driver of the Decade,” followed in second place by Allan McNish as another Audi “factory” driver.

Tom Kristensen has been competing for Audi since 2000 and has meanwhile won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) eight times, the 12 Hour Race at Sebring (USA) five times, the “Petit Le Mans” race at Road Atlanta (USA) and the LMP1 title in the American Le Mans Series in 2002. In addition, the Dane contested the DTM for Audi from 2004 to 2009, celebrating a total of four victories in the Audi A4.

In 2010, Tom Kristensen wants to fully concentrate on his greatest passion: on sports car races with Audi. Yet again, the highlight will be the 24 Hour Race at Le Mans on June 12/13.

Further information about the official fuel consumption figures and official, specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the “Guide to fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electricity consumption of new cars,” which is available free of charge from all sales outlets and from DAT (Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH), Hellmuth-Hirth-Strasse 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany (http://www.dat.de).